De’Von Achane is still holding strong as a top-15 pick in fantasy football, and for anyone sweating over the Miami Dolphins’ offensive question marks, a recent joint practice against the Giants gave us some serious clarity.
The Willis Wiggle and Why It Matters
Look, we all know the deal with Malik Willis. Mobility, arm strength, and then way down the list, *maybe* throwing to his running backs. Over the past two years, only Anthony Richardson threw to his backfield less than Willis’s 10.2%. So when those first two pressures from the fast New York rush sent throws nowhere near Achane, every fantasy manager’s worst fears felt super real. But here’s the kicker: Willis actually adjusted. Over the rest of his 11-on-11 snaps, he was hitting Achane. We’re talking three designed targets, one even called back by penalty in the end zone, man! Plus two checkdowns when he was under duress.
That’s not just some random practice blip; that’s solid evidence the Dolphins, under OC Bobby Slowik, can adjust in real time and actually use their most effective weapon. It means Achane’s fantasy value from 2025 isn’t just evaporating, even if a full repeat of that monster season feels like a tall order. Remember last year? Achane racked up 1,838 total yards and 12 total touchdowns, and a huge chunk of that, 488 yards and four scores from 67 catches on 85 targets, came through the air. That’s 43 percent of his total PPR points! That was with Tua Tagovailoa slinging it, he had a 26.3% target rate to RBs since 2024, and Mike McDaniel calling plays.
New Scheme, Same Achane?
Now they’re shifting to a West Coast offense, supposedly like what Willis ran in Green Bay. If Willis’s limitations aren’t that long a list, which his Packers stint suggests, then this is good news. Plus, the guy looks healthy and ready to roll, even busting out what amounted to a long touchdown run in team drills against the Giants, thanks to some killer blocking from the right side of his offensive line.
Yeah, there are still whispers about Miami’s offense not putting up a ton of points, especially since they were 25th in the league last year at 20.4 per game, even running the ball more than average. But Achane was amazing *in that very situation*. It honestly wouldn’t be shocking to see them hit those same numbers this year, and Achane still produce. So, despite all the early season noise and coach Jeff Hafley joking about giving Achane “40 to 45” touches a game, the real takeaway is simple: De’Von Achane is healthy, the Dolphins’ offense is capable of adjusting to get him the ball, and he’s proving why he absolutely belongs in your top-15 fantasy draft plans for the season. Get ready for some big plays, because this guy is still gonna fly.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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